The present invention relates generally to a program schedule guide and, more particularly, to a system and process for allowing a television viewer to access on-screen television program listings and other information services in an easy and convenient way.
The number of television channels available to a user has grown dramatically within the last decade, primarily due to the availability of cable and direct broadcast satellite systems. As the number of programs of potential interest to the viewer has increased, a variety of electronic program guides have been developed to help the viewer select programs of particular interest. For example, commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,121 and 5,353,121 each describes schedule information processing systems which provide the viewer with a convenient way to select programs based on viewer supplied selection criteria.
Given the hectic lifestyle of today's society, a system which provides other information in addition to television program schedule information would be very convenient for the busy viewer. Examples of information viewers may desire are weather information, financial information, and the like. Hence, an information system such as a guide with regions reserved for such information would provide a valuable service to a user. Furthermore, these regions could be used for advertising or promotional purposes, which may or may not be interactive, thereby enabling more services to be provided without increasing the cost of the guide.